Translation of the statement from Subcomandante Moises

To the people who subscribe to the Declaration for Life:

We communicate the following:

FIRST – Some months ago, after a long and in-depth critical and self-critical analysis, and after consulting with all the Zapatista peoples, it was decided that the Autonomous Zapatista Rebel Municipalities (MAREZ) and the Good Government Councils would disappear.

SECOND – All seals, letterheads, positions, representations and agreements with the name of any MAREZ or of any of the Good Government Councils are invalid as of this moment. No person may represent himself or herself as a member, authority or representative of any MAREZ or Good Governance Councils. The agreements held before this date, with Non-Governmental Organizations, social organizations, collectives, groups and entities of solidarity in Mexico and the world remain in force until their expiration, but no new agreements can be made with these entities of Zapatista autonomy, for the simple reason that they no longer exist.

THIRD – The Caracoles are to remain, but will remain closed to the outside until further notice.

FOURTH – The reasons and the process by which this decision was taken, we will be telling you little by little in the following writings. I only wish to tell you that this assessment, in its final phase, began about 3 years ago. We will also explain how the new structure of Zapatista autonomy is and how it has been developing.

All of this, and more, will appear at the appropriate moment.

FIFTH – We will be holding a celebration to mark the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the war against oblivion. This will take place in December 2023 and January 2024. All the people who signed the “Declaration for Life” are invited.

However, it is our duty, while inviting you, to also discourage you. Contrary to what the official press, self-styled cool-progre-buen-ondita, informs and misinforms, the main cities of the southeastern Mexican state of Chiapas are in complete chaos. The municipal presidencies are occupied by what we call “legal assassins” or “Disorganized Crime.” There are blockades, assaults, kidnappings, “cobro de piso,” forced recruitment, and shootings. This is the result of the patronage of the state government and the dispute over offices that is underway. It is not political proposals that clash with one other, but criminal societies.

So, of course we are letting you know that, unlike other years, it is not safe.

San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán, Las Margaritas and Palenque, to mention a few municipalities, are in the hands of one of the disorganized crime cartels and in contention with another. This has been confirmed by the so-called hotel, tourism, restaurant and service industry. Those who work in these places know this and have not denounced it because they are threatened and, in addition, they know that any petition is useless, because the state and municipal authorities are the ones who commit the crimes and have no restraint in their love of looting.

In rural communities the problem is even more serious. This is denounced by inhabitants in all the regions of Chiapas, particularly along the border with Guatemala.

What is read, heard and seen in most of the local and national media is only a poor and shameless echo of the social networks of the state government. The truth is that the official authorities are the problem. Yes, just like the rest of the country.

The federal, state and local military and police forces are not in Chiapas to protect the civilian population. They are here with the sole objective of stopping migration. That is the order that came from the U.S. government. As is their way, they have turned migration into a business. Human smuggling and trafficking is a business of the authorities who, through extortion, kidnapping and buying and selling of migrants, are shamelessly enriching themselves.

So, we do not advise that you come. Unless, of course, you organize yourselves very well to do so.

So, although we do not expect you, we invite you. The tentative dates of the commemorations are between December 23, 2023 and January 7, 2024, with the central celebration on December 30-31 and January 1-2. We will tell you the location later. In other words, we do want you to come, but we do not recommend it.

Even if you don’t make it, don’t worry. We will still send you photos and videos.

Well, that is, if there is still a world on those dates.

Just wait and see.

From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.

Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés.

Mexico, November 2023.

tl;dr the Zapatistas aren't going anywhere but they've made the decision after long deliberation and consultation to dissolve the current autonomous municipalities. They'll be doing something new that we'll hear about later on and in the meantime they'll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their uprising in Dec/Jan